David, the Apostle Paul, and others in the Bible understood their need to trust in and rely on God and not their own abilities or anything else. What about you? In what are you trusting with the things going on in your life and the world around you? Whether it’s the images on the nightly news, the threat of continuing inflation, political issues, worries about your family, health issues, or personal finances, where is your trust? Is it in the government, in medical intervention, or in your own abilities? Or are you ultimately trusting God and God alone?

Today’s Readings:

Numbers 33 & 34
Psalm 35.9-16
Proverbs 12.2
Mark 15.1-24

Trusting God with Our Worries & Fears

Psalm 35.9-16:

Trusting God Who Delivers

All my bones shall say, ‘LORD, who is like You, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him?’ (v. 10).

This Psalm began with the words, “Plead my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me; fight against those who fight against me.” David understood that when he felt overwhelmed or when he faced a challenge that was too big for him, God was the One who would fight for him. 

In fact, there is danger in thinking we can handle problems on our own. 1 Corinthians 10.12 says:

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

In 2 Corinthians 12, when Paul faced his own challenge, he cried out to have it removed:

⁸ Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. ⁹ And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” 

Trusting God in a greater way was his immediate response. He went on:

Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰ Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

And don’t forget Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 5.3).

The poor in spirit are those who realize they are spiritually destitute and who cry out for God’s salvation and help. When we recognize our weaknesses and turn to God to get us through, He will.

Trusting God with Enemies We Can & Cannot See

David was talking about an enemy he could see, probably King Saul and his armies. David with his relatively small band of men was pursued by an enemy who was too strong for him to defeat on his own. But God continually delivered him from Saul’s hand.

The people of Ukraine, many of them our brothers and sisters in Christ, continue to face an enemy they can see, as well. While I’m not discounting help in other ways, let’s pray that they too turn to God as they continue to face a devastating enemy.

Of course, the nation of Israel is embroiled in a war they didn’t want and surrounded by enemies on every side. May God use it to help them see their need for a Savior, turn to the gospel, and not rely on their own strength.

And the world at large has recently faced an enemy we couldn’t see. But viruses and things that are beyond our ability to see are not too hard for our God. Neither are they outside of His sovereign control.

Certainly, there are things governments can and should do during a crisis. There are things we as individuals can do as steps of wisdom and preparation. But all the protection in the world won’t guarantee that we stay safe. Ultimately, peace and confidence can only come by relying on and trusting in God.

A Fallen World

When James addressed his flock and by extension us, he said, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds” (Jas. 1.2). Notice he didn’t say “if” but “when.” Then he went on to explain why we can rejoice in trials.

³ for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. ⁴ And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

God wants us to understand that trials are part of God’s good work in our lives. Without them, we would not become mature believers. The passage goes on to remind us that God’s wisdom for every trial is ours for the asking.

9 Things That Can Help Us Trust God More

But trusting God doesn’t come naturally to us human beings. We are so prone to rely on ourselves or look to someone else to help or deliver us. Even when we know biblical truth and know that we need to rely on Him, we can quickly start worrying or trying to take control.

So, what can we do? Here are a few suggestions.

• Pray

⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Phil. 4.6-7).

Did you notice verse 6 is really a series of several short commands? Don’t be anxious. Pray about everything. Be thankful.

When we’re tempted to worry and be anxious, we need to immediately turn to God in prayer and begin thanking Him for His care and blessings, as well as, asking Him for His wisdom and help.

• Read Your Bible

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Rom. 10.17).

Jesus, the Living Word (Jn. 1.1), is the One who can be counted on. He will never leave us or forsake us (Heb. 13.5). He doesn’t give a promise that we won’t face trials. But He will walk through all of life’s trials and triumphs with us if we belong to Him. Reading our Bibles helps us come to know Him so we can trust Him more.

• Worship

Make worship services a regular part of your life. Worship on your own, as well. Listen to theologically sound music. Develop the habit of having family devotions. It can be as simple as reading a passage of Scripture and talking about it with your loved ones.

• Connect

Connect with other believers. Be an active part of a local New Testament church. Join a small group, if possible. Let others know of your struggles and ask for prayer when needed. Reach out to someone else who may need prayer or encouragement.

• Focus on Others

³ Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. ⁴ Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others (Phil. 2.3-4 NASB).

Look for ways to be a blessing. Take a meal to an elderly friend or neighbor or someone who is sick or recovering.

One of the most important ways we can focus on others is to look for opportunities to share the gospel.

• Demonstrate the Superiority of a Life Lived in Christ

We have no greater opportunity to share the love and light of Christ than when things are tough. Let others know that your trust is in the Lord and then act like it. Giving in to your feelings and frustrations brings no glory to God and will not help you.

¹⁴ Do all things without complaining and disputing, ¹⁵ that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world (Phil. 2.14-15).

It’s easy to be content when things are good but when life gets hard, it’s much easier to grumble and complain. Yet, that only makes us look like the rest of the world.

• Remember & Meditate

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things (Phil. 4.8).

Remember God’s care for you in the past. Remember the stories of His faithfulness in the Bible and His promises to care for His children. Meditate on those truths.

• Repeat

Pray. Read your Bible. Worship. Connect. Focus on others. Demonstrate the superiority of a life lived in Christ. Remember & meditate.

• And If You Don’t Know Christ in a Real & Transforming Way

Dust off that Bible your grandmother gave you or go to BibleGateway. Read the book of John. Ask God to reveal Himself to you.

Reach out to me or someone you know. Just leave a comment at the bottom of this post. You can also read one of the following posts:

“Do You Live with a Sense of Guilt?”

“Could You Be a Christian in Name Only?”

“Trusting God in Uncertain Times”

Today’s Other Readings:

Numbers 33 & 34:

Gods without Heads or Hands

In chapter 33 Moses recounted the journey of the Nation of Israel beginning with their departure from Egypt after God judged Egypt for her unwillingness to let His people go.

God not only judged the Egyptians, Numbers 33.4 says, “… Also on their gods the LORD had executed judgments.” He destroyed and discredited the false gods they relied on.

There was another time when God brought judgment on a symbol of pagan worship. In 1 Samuel 5.1-5, the Philistines had captured the ark of the covenant from the Israelites. They took it and put it in the temple of their pagan god Dagon and set it by the idol. In the morning the statue of Dagon had fallen on its face before the ark. Verse 3:

So they took Dagon and set it in its place again. And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the LORD. The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands were broken off on the threshold; only Dagon’s torso was left of it.

What a picture of the futility of “worshiping” anything other than the true God. Anything else is without reason (the broken head) or ability (the broken hands) to bring any real help. And yet, just like the pagans in Bible times, we continue to look to our false gods by relying on ourselves, our money, our jobs, our relationships, and the list goes on, to bring us peace, joy, satisfaction, and to meet our needs. God never intended for those things to replace Him.

If that’s you, ask for His forgiveness and turn to Him in a fresh way today.

Proverbs 12.2:

He Knows the Intentions of Our Hearts

A good man obtains favor from the LORD, but a man of wicked intentions He will condemn.

God is the only true “heart-knower.” He even knows the “intentions” of our hearts.

Mark 15.1-24:

Mocked by Those with Nothing to Gain

Not only did His own people turn against Him and the Roman government sentence Him to death, but Jesus was mocked by people like the Roman soldiers who placed that crown of thorns on His head and the purple robe on Him and bowed in mock worship.

Have you ever been “mocked” by people who had nothing to gain or lose by it, but just seemed to make a sport of mocking you for your “religion” or your unwillingness to take part in something?

Hebrews 4.15-16 says:

For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

It’s good to know we can come to the Lord and that He understands.

Coming Up:

 

In the coming days, we’ll talk about blame shifting and how it hurts us, look at social and spiritual pollution, and a kind of rottenness that can infect our hearts. We’ll also look at parenting and how to teach our children the real meaning of Easter.

I hope you’ll sign up so you don’t miss them. 

Blessings as you grow in Christ,
Donna ♥

This year I’ve added a couple of new features. First, check out the “Free Resources” tab at the top. You’ll find a downloadable, printable PDF with “Going Deeper Study Questions” for each day’s readings and a list of all the Bible readings so you can check them off as you go. You’ll also find the readings for each day on YouTube. The daily emails now have a link to both these Soul Survival posts and the YouTube videos. If you’re not already signed up, you can do it here.

Note about this post:

I began blogging through the Bible in 2012 and have done so every year since then. These posts are the product of many edits and additions throughout those years. Some days I make major changes, other days fewer. 

A while ago, I read Jen Wilkin’s book None Like Him about the attributes of God. One is His incomprehensibility. In it, she says, “God is incomprehensible. This does not mean that he is unknowable, but that he is unable to be fully known.”

I have found that to be true each year as I’ve gone back through the Bible. Sometimes I find myself feeling as if a passage just appeared there for the first time. I’m reminded that no matter how many times we read through the Bible, we have only scratched the surface. I hope you feel the same.

Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways,
And how small a whisper we hear of Him!
But the thunder of His power who can understand?” (Job 26.14)

I sometimes LINKUP with these blogs.